Vehicle pillars are a central component of the vehicle body of a motor vehicle and have an important function with a view to protection of the occupants in the event of a side impact of the vehicle. The vehicle pillars usually have an outward-facing outer skin and an inner skin facing inward to the passenger compartment. Inner skin and outer skin are usually formed from thin-wall formed sheet metal and each have such a cross-sectional profile that in the assembled state, a profile having a closed cross-section is formed by outer skin and inner skin.
The vehicle pillars usually have a reinforcement which is disposed inside the closed cross-section of outer skin and inner skin. The reinforcement serves to give the respective vehicle pillar a sufficient stability in order to meet the high requirements for protection of passengers in the event of a side impact of the motor vehicle. Outer skin, inner skin and reinforcement are usually interconnected by means of spot welding and/or laser welding, where one welded joint respectively connects the outer skin and the inner skin with the reinforcement interposed.
The reinforcement usually comprises a reinforcing structure which extends upward as far as onto the vehicle roof and downward as far as the underfloor of the vehicle body and provides for the necessary stability of the vehicle pillar. In addition a stiffening structure is usually provided through which the reinforcing structure is stiffened over a longitudinal section in order to avoid caving-in of the vehicle pillar.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide a reinforcement for a vehicle pillar, in particular the B pillar, of a vehicle having the features specified initially, which can be welded particularly well to the outer skin and/or the inner skin for the vehicle pillar and at the same time has particularly good stiffening properties in order to withstand high impact forces in the event of a side impact of the vehicle. Furthermore, it may be desirable to provide a vehicle pillar, which is suitable for the use of such a reinforcement. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.